Betrayed
by naruhinatard
Summary: What does anyone want for their 17th birthday? Hinata gets one huge present and it is not what she wanted at all!
1. Chapter 1: happy Birthday

"Hinata!" A booming voice called. Hinata sat outside the Hyuuga compound under a tree relishing in the beauty of the outdoors. The sun was setting, The birds were falling asleep and everything swayed in a rythmic dance that the wind was creating.  
The only thing that disturbed her peace was the shouting voice of her father.

It was the day after her 17th birthday and people in her family branch and main,kept hounding her on her future, marriage and everything else.  
Hinata dreaded talking it about with anyone, let alone her family.

She soon decided that her tranquil evening was about to be interrupted by her father at any moment because his irritated voice was getting closer.

"HINATA!" Hiashi rounded a corner outside the main house to find his daughter ignoring him. He walked up until he was directly infront of her, with his hands on his hips and a pout on his face he confonted her.  
"Didn't you hear me callling you?!"  
Hinata looked up she could tell he was was best not to toy with Hiashi Hyuuga when he was angry. She had to get out of this situation as soon a possible.

"Forgive me father," she spoke innocently "I didn't hear you, please don't be angry."  
Hinata widened her eyes to look as young as she possibly could. This trick always used to work when she was younger ,but the older she got the less effective it seemed to be.

Hiashi was not swayed he was still angry but wasn't as irritated as before.  
His pale white eyes pierced through her lanvender ones.  
This was his own trick to try to scare her into submission, if he looked at her like this he'd never have to punish her, because nothing was worth being scrutenized by thoes frightening white eyes. But alas the older she got the less effective it seemed.

"There is somethig important that you need to know," Hiashi broke his angry gaze to smile at his daughter.

"Go inside and make yourself decent there is someone I want you to meet."  
Hinata raised an eye brow, already she didn't like the way this conversation was going.  
'He has someone for me to meet?'

Even though she didn't want to go inside she had was an order from her father,or not her father,"The head of the clan".

Hinata rose up at a slow pace, and her and her father walked back to main house.

In her room Hinata found a silky blue kimono on her bed.  
"Do they really expect me to wear this?" she said aloud. They knew she hated just hate, detested,loathed, them. And yet they put it on her bed.

She eventually concluded that it was either her father or Neji who picked it out.  
She couldn't blame them they were men after all and pampered men at that, who expected her to put it on and be happy about it.

Hinata rolled her eyes as she dressed herself and looked in the mirror. She felt completly rediculous. She pinpointed everything that was wrong with her body,he breasts looked huge the curve of her hips were too clearly made out and she was too skinny for her breats and hip size.  
She hated her body and hated these specific features. Yet men found them inviting. Disgusted she turned away.

Why couldn't she have a normal body like Sakura or Ten Ten. Why did she have to be so...developed...

There was a knock at her door. "Who is it?"  
"It's Menaka,Lady Hinata, I'm here to help you get ready for your guest."  
"Come in," Hinata called sweelty masking all of her feelings for the sake the girl.

Menaka entered she was about 14 years old and was of course a Hyuuga. She had no byakugan her eyes were a faded green and she kept them down when she spoke to Hinata. "I was told by Lord Hiashi to..." Menaka trailed off, She glanced up at Hinata for a brief second and was lost.

"Menaka?" Hinata asked concerned ,"What's the matter?"  
She glided over to the lost girl and place a hand on her shoulder.  
"I-It's nothing my lady,y-you just look so gorgeous,I wasn't sure what I was looking at."

Hinata giggled and tossled Menaka's straight brown hair sending it into a frenzy. Another feature she hated about herself was that she was tall. Meneka my only be 14 but Hinata towered over her.

"It's true Hianta sama, you look really beautiful."  
Hinata sat on her bed while Menaka brushed her hair,the indigo strands tamed by Menaka's strokes.

"Your guest will be pleased."  
Hinata stiffened.  
"So he is a man?" she questioned slyly forcing her eyes to look in Memeka's direction without turning her head.  
"um..." Meneka stopped the stroking she'd obviously let something that wasn't soupposed to get out slip.  
"Well....I really don't know...I havn't met him."

Hinata sighed at the pathetic attempt to cover the mistake.  
"Don't worry Meneka,I won't say anyhting to anyone."  
"Really?"  
"I promise."  
Meneka thought about it for a moment, Hinata was the kindest person to her in the main family.  
She figured that Hinata deserved to know.A smile spread across her face as he remembered him.

"Well, he is very handsome,extremly handsome,beyond handsome!!!!" Menaka had to catch a breath before she could go was letting her excitment get the better of her.

"What's his name?" Hinata asked, her head was once againg being brushed,but at a much rougher pace.  
"I don't know, I wasn't allowed to talk to him, I only saw him for a brief moment when I gave him water."  
"hm, I wonder what he wants from me?" Hinata already had an idea.  
"I heard him and Hiashi-sama talking about you."  
"What did they say?"  
"Well Hiashi-sama was talking about you and the future of the Hyuuga clan, and that you couldn't possibly do it alone."

Hinata was getting angry, Hiashi was no longer disappointed in her, but he hadn't gained any faith in her at all. He was using this man for the better of the clan and spared her no thought in in it at all.  
"He wants to marry me" Hinata stated sadly it was neither a question or an answer.  
Menaka slowed her brushing. "Yes,I think thats what he wants. I'm sorry Lady Hinata I know how you must feel"

Hinata smiled weakly at the sympathy she recived. Fighting back tears she turned herself around to face Menaka.  
"I hate my life," she said bluntly, Menaka returned her weak smile.  
"Me too."

"Hinata are you decent, It's time to come out", both girls were startled at the sound of Hiashi at the door. He never came to Hinata's room.

"Yes father I'm comming out now."  
Hinata rose up and took in a deep walked over to the door and paused to collect herself.  
"Lady Hinata are you-"  
"I'll be fine Menaka I'm only meeting him it doesn't mean anything."

It acturally ment a whole lot, for most of her life Hinata had planned on marrying one man and now she may be forced to marry another. Her heart pounded in her chest as she walked with her father to meet this mystery man. She side glanced at Hiashi and when she saw his face she wanted to protest...but she knew she couldn't, this was not the time or place to start an argument.

When the two entered the living room there were already others there. Hanabi was standing by a chair in a white silk kimono her face wasn't pleseant at all she also hated kimono's more so than Hinata.

Neji stood beside her in the branch uniform looking pissed off for no reason,as usual.  
Others were around the room, Hyuuga elders and people of the sort,but there was one man that was different. He had an awe struck look on his face and when Hinata looked into his black eyes she saw that he was staring at her. This man seemed familiar to her, she'd known him before.

He walked closer to her until they were face to face. His awe struck face twisted into a smile.  
He really was handsome like Menaka had not compared to the man she truly loved.

"Hello Hinata-chan" His voice was deep and velvety and it would make any woman melt.  
He took hold of one of her small hands and kissed it tenderly.  
She noticed a small crest on the upper left corner of his shirt. A small white and red fan. This immedialty jogged her memory. She snatched her hand away from him and gasped.

"SASUKE UCHIHA?!?!?!?!?!" 


	2. Chapter 2:Reasons

The room was silent for over few seconds. Sasuke cleared his throat to ease the tension.  
"I'm glad to see you remeber me Hinata."  
Hinata's eyes were wide, her huge orbs were glistening with tears.  
Mainly because she had to marry someone, but partly because she had to marry him, Sasuke Uchiha.  
Hinata darted her eyes from one side of the room to the other to find that everyone was staring at them.  
When her gaze met her fathers she froze. He squinted his milky optics at her in a way that chilled her bones.

With that Hinata looked back at her husband to be.  
His expression was of concern because she hadn't responded to him.  
He was afraid that she might reject him before he even told her why he was there.  
The Hyuuga heiress swollowed back her tears and bowed at the waist.

"It's a pleasure to see you again Uchiha Sama."  
Sasuke smiled. The panic that she wouldn't want to see him left.  
"I know it was your birthday yesterday so I got you a gift."  
Hinata scanned around, he had nothing in his hands and she saw no box anywhere.  
Though she was confused she went along with it. It was considered rude to deny a gift that someone gave you...even if you didn't want it.

"Thank you Uchiha Sama...what is it?" She was curious to know.  
"Please, call me Sasuke, and you are wearing it."  
He pointed to the Kimono that she wore on her body.  
"It suits you so well." He eyed her hungrily, appreciating everything on Hinata's body that she hated so much.  
'Figures' ,she thought,'that someone like him would have brought me the only thing in this world that I hate so much.'

Hinata beamed, "It's beautiful, I am so glad that you have such good taste Uchi-,I mean Sasuke."  
Everyone laughed in their cheesy snobby way all but Neji and Hanabi. Who were still looking pissed off but Hanabi had a good reason this time.  
She glared at Sasuke, he'd apperantly brought her, her kimomo too...Hatred at first sight?

"Maybe the two of you should go outside and talk?" Hiashi said eyeing his daughter.  
Hinata nodded. She may be the next head of the clan but until that day she had to heed and obey her father like anyone else.  
Sasuke gently took her hand in his and she had to oblidge.  
She led him towards the door where they passed Neji and Hanabi.  
Sasuke mearly lifted an eyebrow in awknoledgment. Their faces were sympathetic towards Hinata and she winked and smiled to put them at ease.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hinata do you know why I'm here?", Sasuke asked when they were securly outside.  
"I'm pretty sure I do", she sounded sad, which made Sasuke upset. "My family has been dropping hints for a while now."  
"So... you know that I WANT to marry you...right, they arent making me do this."  
Hinata snapped her head to face Sasuke. She was shocked at his confession.  
"Huh?" She spoke aloud but didn't mean to.  
"I really do Hinata."  
"Sasuke I-"  
"I know you don't love me b-but maybe you can grow to love me as much as I love you."

Hinata looked him straight in the eyes and said nothing. She was searching for some kind of meaning behind his words.  
'He has to be lying, he loves me'  
Sasuke touched her cheek softly, drawing his lips closer to hers, taking her silence for an invitation.  
Hinata pulled her face away leaving Sasuke and his all too longing lips alone.  
"How can you say you love me? you don't even know me."  
"I don't need to know you, from the moment I saw you in that kimono I was in love."

Hinata placed her index finger at the corner of her mouth and tapped it in wonder.  
"So you've been in love with me for about 10 minuets now?"  
Sasuke was dumbfounded he wasn't going to get to her heart as quickly as he thought.  
This was a new experiance for him, usually it was the women who were trying to get to his heart.  
But now the tables were turned and he began to feel guilty that he'd put so many girls through what he was going through.

"Yes", Sasuke said .He couldn't find an answer that was smart or witty.  
Hinata smiled if she was going to have to marry him, she wasn't going to make it easy for anyone involved,especially Sasuke.  
"You do realize that our marriage isn't for us, it's for the clan."  
Sasuke nodded. "You deserve much more credit than they give you, you never let anything slide."  
Hinata walked across the veranda of her home thinking aloud while Sasuke listened.

"I think it's because you have the sharingan and along with that you're an Uchiha."  
"That could be the reason."  
"My father most likley wants us to have children so that they could posess both our traits or if not be as strong as a Hyuuga and an Uchiha combined."  
Sasuke blushed and looked down,"That sounds like a probable reason."

Hinata giggled at his actions thinking it was the same way she acted around a certin someone.  
Her heard pained as she thought about him. What would he think of her now.  
"They may also be trying to soothe the bitter blood between the clans." she continued as if nothing was wrong.  
"You really have this whole thing figured out don't you?" Sasuke asked.  
"I've known they would do this ever since I turned 16. 'Find a strong man with a strong lineage' they said 'and if you don't we'll find one for you.'

"You must really hate your family huh?"  
Hinata sighed, "I could never hate them but they can be a real pain sometimes."  
"It must be nice, to have a family to annoy you."  
Sasuke looked away from her, his memories of his family running in his mind,when they used to get on his nerves.  
"I'd deal with them annoying me for all eternity if it ment that they would be with me."

Hinata had realized what she'd said and covered her mouth.  
"I'm so sorry Sasuke I shouldn't have said that."  
"It's okay it wasn't your fault, I'm jsut too sensative about thoes things."  
Hinata really felt guilty. "One day you will have your own family Sasuke."  
Sasuke smirked "Only if it was with you."

Hinata blushed and looked away quickly. She just kept saying the wrong things to him.  
The two stood in scilence looking out into the large yard. It was Autumn so the night was cool.  
Neither Sasuke or Hinata said just stared off into the darkness trying to make sense of the situation they were in.  
'I can't marry him, I won't!' Hinata spoke defiantly to herself.  
'What about him...what is he going to say...how am I going to tell Naruto?" 


	3. Chapter 3:Him

"Clothes, clothes everywhere! Do you even know the meaning of the word clean!?"

Sakura pushed her way through Naruto's appartment. Everytime she took a step she'd trip on something.  
She kicked old food boxes and dirty clothes out the way until she reached Naruto's bedroom.  
The bedroom had an univiting arouma,it smelled like a mix of rotten food and dust.

In the bed was a sleeping Naruto snoring softly. Sakura's yelling hadn't stirred him at all.  
She walked over to him and glared down.

"WAKE YOUR ASS UP!!" She shouted as loud as she could.

"Huh??" Naruto jumped out of his bed and landed on the floor with a loud thud.

"What its it?" He asked sheepishly rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Sakura was crazy with rage Naruto was soupposed to eat lunch with her at noon and it was 3:00 PM Any sane person would know that the one woman to never blow off was Sakura Haruno.  
She reached down and grabbed him by his hair, pulling him to his feet .

"How dare you!?" she fumed "Who do you think you are?"

"AHHHHH Sakura I have no Idea what you're talking about." Naruto shrieked in pain as his golden locks were being pulled out strand by strand.

"We were soupposed to meet for lunch today and I waited for you for 3 hours." She pulled harder at his hair in emphasis "3 HOURS!!"

"I-it must have slipped my mind Sakura I'm sorry."

"SLIPPED YOUR MIND?!?!?!?".She pushed him away and he stumbled back, barley catching himself.

"I thought something happened to you, that you died or got hurt on your way there...but no... YOU WERE ASLEEP!!!"

"Sakura please I didn't mean to miss it but I was up all night, even if I wanted to I don't think I could have gotten up."

Sakura crossed her arms across her chest she was still fumming in anger. She stared him down and her cheeks began to brighten up.  
Naruto assumed it was her anger growing and became even more afraid.

"Put some clothes on!!" she spat and walked out the room.

Naruto was suddenly aware that all he was wearing was his boxers.  
Even more embarassing was the fact that she'd backed him into a cornner and he was quivering in fear.  
Naruto shuffled around picking clothes and smelling them to determine if they were clean or not.  
When he'd found a suitable outifit he met Sakura in his living room.

"You should really clean up."

"I am cleaning up can't you see that? the process of cleaning is always messier than the mess."

"But it always looks like this in here"

"Thats because I'm always cleaning."

Sakura frowned he'd actually meade sense without making any sense.  
Naruto chuckled under his breath. His friend was focousing on a good comback,but from the look on her face she was stumped.

"Lets get out of here I need some fresh air." Sakura said finally fanning the area by her nose.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Konoha seemed to be unnaturally calm that day.

"Where is everyone?" Sakura looked up and down the streets to see only 1 or 2 people out.

"I don't know" Naruto mimicked her motions. "Are we missing something?"

Sakura went over all the impotant dates in her head.  
Her eyes widened and she gasped when she remebered what was going on.

"Oh! today is the day that the new genins graduate from the acadmy."

Naruto smacked his forehead, "you're right how could I have forgotten"

"You seem awful forgetful today Naruto!" Sakura had a bitter tone in her voice. She hadn't quite forgiven him yet.

"Should we go?"

"What do you mean should we go, of course we have to go Tsunade would kill us if we didn't show up."

The two ran to the acadamy as fast as they could knowing they were late already.  
Sakura looked around and noticed that Sasuke was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Sasuke?"

"He's probably there already. He didn't even think to remind us...Jackass!"

"Shut up Naruto the only ass I see here is you."

"Didn't Sasuke blow off our little get together this morning too, Why didn't he get a taste of hell?"

"Because Sasuke has a perfectly good reason."

"That being?"

"...That being the fact that he is Sasuke and you are Naruto!"

Naruto rolled his eyes, Sakura's never ending spite towards him was getting real old real fast.  
He didn't know why her actions were bothering him now, he'd put up with it for years before.  
Maybe it's because he's found someone else who actually gives him the time of day, someone who doesn't show their affection by beating him to a pulp. That crush he had on his teammate had died a quick death.

As the acadamy came into view the two slowed down. They could see children running around showing off their new forehead protectors.  
Parents were beaming with pride and older Ninjas who'd been drug there for younger siblings moped on walls or sat looking on at the scene.

Tsunade Sat under a tree taking pictures with the new genins.  
One after another they'd stand by the Hokage and get their picture taken.  
Tsunade's smile reminded Naruto of Sai's, always fake and always cheesy.

Sakura scanned around for Sasuke but couldn't find him at all.

"Yo!"

Kakashi popped up behind Naruto and Sakura and startled them beyond belief.

"Why do you always do that?" Naruto asked through clenched teeth.

"I saw him coming a mile away" Sakura lied.

"You two should be ashamed to call yourselves ninjas." Kaskashi scolded.

Kakashi looked like he was smiling under his everpresent mask but no one ever knew for sure.  
His hand occupied an Icha Icha book as usual.

"Kakashi-Sensei, have you seen Sasuke?"

Kakashi grew serious, "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?" Naruto asked nonchelalntly.

Kakashi didn't say anything for a moment. He was thinking of a way to tell his students the truth about where Sasuke was.  
He decided that they didn't need to know not when it was still so early.

"Nothing...it's nothing really, he is probably busy with something personal."

Sakura looked upset. "What would be so personal that he can't tell us?"

"Maybe you should go say something to your master, She looks pretty exausted."

Sakura glanded at Tsunade who was still taking pictures but didn't smile anymore. She really did look washed out.  
Sakura headed to her mentor leaving Kakashi and Naruto alone.

"Look it's the old swing set I used to play on." Naruto pointed to it under the lonley tree that used to be his only friend.

He saw a girl sitting there looking as sad as old Naruto did.

"Who is that?"

Kakashi put his hand on his brow to shield the sun from his eyes.

"It looks like Hinata."

"Hinata?!" Naruto perked up and grinned from ear to ear.

"I'll see you later Kaskashi-Senei." he said slyly heading towards his old hang out.

"Naruto...Don't say anything stupid." Kakashi said befor he poofed away.

"huh?"

Naruto didn't even turn around he knew that by the time he did his sensei would be long gone.  
When her reached the swing set Hinata had her back turned. Naruto could see her long blue hair shining in the reflections of the sunlinght.  
Hinata was the defanition of beauty in his eyes even when he couldn't see her face. She hadn't noticed that he's crepy up behind.

"Hinata?" he called quietly.

Hinata snapped her head around to face her longtime crush. Her cheeks were growing red and her heart quicked.  
Her reactions to seeing him hadn't changed at all.

"Hello Naruto-kun" she said sweetly making sure to avoid his eyes for fear of getting lost in them.

"Hinata you look sad is something wrong?"

Hinata didn't reply. She didn't want to say that everything was wrong, that her life was a downward spiral.  
She was afaid to tell him that she had to marry another man and not just any man, HIS best friend.  
She was afaid he would lose the feelings for her that had taken so long to build up.  
She was afaid to lose him.

"No Naruto...everything is fine." She dropped her head unkowingly. She did that everytime she was nervous.

It didn't sound convincing to Naruto. He too her face in his hands and spoke in a serious tone.

"I don't believe you...please tell me whats wrong maybe I'll be able to help you."

Hinata smiled he was so kind to her. She accidentally looked him in the eyes and was trapped.  
His beautiful face that had just showed concern was happy. He was happy to see her smile.  
Tears started to well in Hinata's eyes as she stared into the soul of what she was giving up.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked again.

"Its my sister."

"What?"

"Hanabi is graduating today."

"Is that why you are so sad?" Naruto was confused.'wasn't this soupposed to be a happy occasion?'

"No thats not it, my father was soupposed to come today but he was too busy to come out." 'too busy making wedding plans' Hinata thought bitterly.

"So I had to come alone." Hinata lied through her teeth and she was very proud of herself because Naruto actually belived her.

"Don't be sad I'll stay with you and we can enjoy Hanabi's graduation together."

Hinata bit her botom lip she didn't look as joyful as Naruto.

"'comon Hinata lets go find Hanabi" he said grinning even bigger.

His smile was contagious and Hinata had no immunity. Naruto pecked her on the cheek and pulled her to the crowd of children.

"Okay which one is Hanabi."

Hinata looked around but there were so many people.

"There!" Naruto pointed, "Is she the one that looks like a mini you?"

Hinata followed Naruto's pointed finger and he had found Hanabi Indeed.

"Yes thats her" she said with a giggle.

Hinata and Naruto walked over to Hanabi hand in hand.  
"Hanabi!" Hinata called. Her sister was looking around for her.  
When the couple finally reached Hanabi her expression wan't too pleased.

"Really Hinata" She said looking at Naruto and Hinata's hands, "With the situation that you are in you should have broken it off already."

"What is she talking about?" Naruto asked.

"Nothing!" Hinata shrieked.

Hanabi shook her head. She felt sorry for her sister but felt that Hinata should do her duty and stay true to her husband to be.

" Lets get out of here, I have my forehead protector."

"Don't you want a picture with the Hokage?" Naruto chimmed.

Hanabi glanced at the long line of people who wanted a picture and at how happy they were to wait with their parents.

"Tsunade-Sama isn't goning anywhere for a while." Hanabi stalked off toward the road to the Hyuuga comound.

"Do you want me to walk with you girls?" Naruto asked.

"I don't think that would be the best idea." Hanabi responded, her voice was icy.

Hinata on the other hand wanted to spend as much time with Naruto as she possibly could.

"Please Naruto-kun.... if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind." Naruto ran beside her and put his arm around her shoulder.

Usually his public displays of affection were shunned by Hinata becasue she feared her fathers reaction to their relationship.  
But now she welcomed every bit of him she got and didn't care who saw.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they reached the Hyuuga compund Hiashi and Sasuke were waiting outside.  
Hinata gaped when she saw them and Naruto took his hands off Hinata as fast as he could.

"Sasuke-temme what are you doing here?" Naruto joked

"I could say the same to you." Sasuke stomped up and pulled Hinata to his side.

"What the-" To say the least Naruto was PISSED.

"Thank you for excorting my daughters home Uzumaki" The Hyuuga head said "Though they really didn't need it, Not with Hanabi around."

"Your presence is no longer wanted Naruto you can go now." Sasuke had his arm around Hinata's waist which burned angry tears in Naruto's eyes.

"Hinata whats going on here?" a stunned Naruto questioned.

"Thank you for the walk Naruto,. Hanabi and I appreciate it." Hinata's bottom lip was trembleling as she answered him, "But I think it's time for you to go now".

She knew that her longtime love was about to find out her horrible secret and wanted to shoo him away as fast as possible.

"I'll see you around town okay?" She said in a semi cheery way.

Saskue glared at her.

"A woman who is to be my wife shouldn't frolic with other men." He said it as if she'd broken his heart.

Hinata really didn't want to hurt anyone but no one was leaving this situation without a broken heart.  
Be it Sasuke or Naruto or herself.

"His...H-his wife?!?!?!", Naruto choked out.

Hinata had her head hung low she couldn't bear to look at his face. If she did she'd break down and run into his arms sobbing.

Hanabi leaned on the compound wall watching the scene. She almost felt bad for Naruto, but knew that this was comming, there would have been no way around it.

"What is it to you Uzumaki?" Hiashi asked in wonder.

Naruto ignored the question.

"Hinata are you really going to marry HIM?" Naruto was on the verge of tears. Was he really about to lose the only person who had ever loved him?

Hinata lifter her head but kept her eyes downcast and nodded.

"Yes I am." 


	4. Chapter 4:It can't be

Naruto's mouth felt dry there was a lump in his throat that refused to move no matter how many times he swallowed.

"This can't be," He whispered in a hoars voice."Hinata you can't"

"I think thats enough Uzumaki." Hiashi stepped between the teens. "You really should leave now."

"I'm sorry Hiashi-sama but this is none of your buisness!"

"This is more my buisness than it is yours!" Hiashi activated his byakugan.

He didn't intend on hurting Naruto he just wanted to intimidate him.

"What is my daughter to you?" He asked in a threatening tone.

Naruto looked at Hinata who had finally dared to stare him in the eye.  
She was crying silent tears, that trailed down her cheeks. She didn't even bother to wipe them away.  
Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat and came to an ultimatium.

"She...she." Naruto glanced at Hinata one last time. "She is nothing to me, not any more."

He turned around without another word and ran far away. His eyes began to sting. Hinata ment the whole world to him and no matter what he said she always would.  
It only hurt him that she didn't feel the same she was crying but she didn't say anything. She stuck by Sasuke's side and refused to awknolege him not even by looking at him.

Naruto ran for miles until he was out the village. He ran until his legs were sore and couldn't run anymore.  
He threw himself onto the ground and sobbed,drowned by all the self pitty he could offer.  
The day was bright beautiful and full of life. But in his world it was dark and ugly, how can anything be so peaceful when he was suffering so bad.  
The days when he was rejected and hated were better than how it was now.

He lay there crying until his eyes were dry. Although no more tears came he still cried hoping that maybe someone, somewhere could help him.  
But just as he'd been the past 17 years of his life was how he was now.

Alone.

"Naruto!?" Sakura walked through Konoha searching for her friend.  
She hadn't seen him since that afternoon and it was now late at night.  
She walked by the Hyuuga compound hoping she'd find him there.

"Where could he be?"

"You should stop looking for him."

Sakura whipped her head around to see who was addressing her.

"Lord Hyuuga?" She asked when she saw who it was.

Sakura didn't know what to say. Was he really talking to her?

"Do you know where Naruto is Hiashi-sama?"

"No. But I know he will be fine."

"I saw him leave the acadamy with Hinata and Hanabi and didn't see him afterwards, do you know what happened to him?"

Hiashi narrowed his eyes at the thought of his daughters with HIM especially Hinata.  
There was something going on between the two of them and he wanted to find out ASAP.

"I need to ask you some questions about your teammates Naruto Uzumaki and Sauke Uchiha."

Sakura was skepitcal, what did this man want with Sasuke and Naruto.

"Forgive me Lord Hyuuga,but why are you asking?"

"Sakura Haruno right?"

Sakura nodded.

"I'm not one to beat around the bush so I will get straight to the point. The Hyuuga's have buisness with Uchiha and for some reason Uzumaki gets in the way."

Sakura sighed of course Naruto would get involved.

"There was some exchange of words today at the comound and he may not have been pleased with it, he's probably cooling off somwhere and needs to be left alone."

Sakura still didn't trust Hiashi, She sensed that he was with holding information on where Naruto could be. He admitted that it was his fault that Naruto was missing.

"What questions did you want to ask me Lord Hyuuga."

Hiashi suddenly got serious or more angry than serious.

"What is Naruto's affiliation with Hinata?"

"Huh?"

"Have they been...seeing each other?"

Sakura looked away she knew the truth be wasn't going to tell.

"No." She said.

"You're lying, I saw you when you looked away. and I sensed you heart rate increase. You are a horrible liar Sakura."

Sakura was shocked he knew and she'd let him get the answer. Naruto and Hinata were going to kill her. If Hiashi didn't kill them first.

"It's okay Sakura Haruno they won't be seeing each other anymore after what happened today. You can be sure of that."

Hiashi turned and headed back to the Hyuuga house.

"Wait! what do you mean what happened to today? Where is Naruto and Sasuke?"

Hiashi didn't stop, he continued silently, Ignoring the konouichi until he was out of her view.

Sakura stood there staring at the spot that she'd last saw him.

"...something is going on."

Sasuke stepped out of the back door to the Hyuuga home. He hadn't seen Hinata all night,she'd locked herself up in her bedroom and hasn't come out for hours.  
When he walked to the front gate he saw a blurred outline of Sakura standing still.

'What is she doing here?' he thought to himself.

Skill fully Sasuke jumped into a nearby tree without a sound and made his way off the Hyuuga complex without being seen.  
He made sure to be extra careful when he passed by Sakura. He tip toed on the branches above her head without so much as a shudder from the trees.  
When he'd made his way away from her he thought he was in the clear and beagan moving recklessly.  
Sasuke felt a cold wind hit him from the back and heared a Kunai zoom past his cheek.

"Stop where you are!" Sakura yelled as she jumped into the braches.

She stopped mid track when she saw that it was Sasuke.

"What are you doing here?"

Saskue smiled at her.

"What do you think I'm doing here?"

Sakura frowned.

"I mean why are you still here so late at night, don't tell me your really falling to Hinata!"

"Sakura, you know that you're the only woman for me."

Sasuke walked to her side and wrapped her in his arms. He planted a kiss right on her lips.  
Sakura eagerly accepted tieing her arms around his neck. They continued like this for a few seconds until Sasuke broke away.

"We shouldn't be doing this so close to the compound."

Sakura nodded.

"You're right someone might see us." she said.

The couple released each other and ran off into the night.  
Sakura couldn't keep her eyes off Sasuke, he was so perfect to her.  
She hated sharing him and more so hated the fact that he would marry Hinata.  
But if she wanted him to get his hands on that fortune then she would have to bear with it.

"My Sasuke." she whispered.

"My Hin-I mean Sakura."

Uh-oh.


	5. Chapter 5: So it Begins

Sasuke walked to Hinata's door and raised his fist to knock.

"Hinata can I come in?"

Sasuke listened and heared no response, all he heared was shuffleing around and someone knocking over things.  
Hinata opened the door to barley a crack.

"What is it Sasuke-kun?" Her voice was soft and sweet but it trembled.

"I just wanted to speak with you." She looked him up and down through the crack.

Her eye was red and puffy as if she'd been crying since Naruto left.  
Hinata pulled the door to open all the way and allowed Sasuke to come in.  
The room was clean and everything seemed to be in it's right place.  
But Hinata on the other hand looked like a walking zombie.

Her hair was a mess and she had on an old robe that was loosly tied around her waist.  
Her face was pale except for her eyes and nose which were red all around.  
Sasuke looked at her and sighed. She may have reflected a zombie, but still the most beautiful zombie he'd ever seen.

She sniffled, "What do you need to talk to me about?"

"I don't think it's healthy for you to be locked up in this room all the time."

"What else should I do?" Hinata asked stubornly.

Sasuke scratched the back of his head.

"You should be more involved in...er...the wedding."

"Why?"

"...Because it's your wedding and-"

"It's not my wedding, it's my fathers if you need help with wedding plans then consult him."

Sasuke was offended she could at least pretend she liked him or try to be helpful. This wasn't going to be easy on anyone.

"Look Hinata I'm sorry you were rejected by Naruto. It's not like it even mattered you were going to marry me wether you liked it or not so the least you could do is be nice to me!"

Hinata just glared at him. Angry tears tugged at her eyes when he brought up Naruto's name.

Sasuke saw that he upset her and spoke more tenderly.

"I just want you to like me,Hinata, I feel like you hate me for this and I'm really sorry but this is the way things are and we are just going to have to deal with them."

Hinata bit her bottom lip to try to stop herself from crying but tears slid down her face still.

"Sasuke-kun...please get out."

Sasuke looked at her for a long time before nodding and slowly walking out.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, I don't mean to be mad at you...but I have to be mad at someone."

Sasuke heared her but kept walking.

"I can handle it" he said with a smirk though she didn't see.

"Sasuke wait!" She called urgenlty.

Sasuke turned around quick. "What is it?"

"What happened to your eye?"

Hinata reffered to the black eye that Sasuke had.

"It looks really painful."

"Oh this?....I-I got a friend of mine really pissed when I called her a different name."

Sasuke chuckeld and closed Hinata's door. Sakura really does hit hard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Naruto walked back into the 'd been walking for days.  
He had no idea how far he ran when he found out about Hinata and Sasuke, but it had been pretty far.

He'd gotten over the initial shock and depression long enough to think rationaly.

"She can't do this to me can she?" He spoke aloud to himself. "Could she really love him?"

The blonde ninja made his way back to his apartment. He began struggling to open the door with the keys.

"Could who really love who?"

Naruto looked behind him to see Sai standing there.  
He had been following Naruto since he came back to the village.

"It's nothing Sai don't worry about it."

"Where have you been Naruto, your friends have been very worried about you."

Naruto was having an internal battle on whether or not to tell Sai why he was away, but decided against it,

"I needed to clear my head is all."

"You don't seem well Naruto...You're unusually quiet."

"Sai why don't you go and interrogate someone else for a change huh!!?"

Naruto turned his attention back to the door and agressivly shoved the key in the hole.  
Sai watched him from behind. He was trying to put together all of Naruto's actions to figure out what was wrong with him.  
Eventually Sai gave up.

"I was told to give you this invitation."

"An invitation?"

~Sai handed Naruto an envelope. It was white and blue, on it were the words 'You're Invited'  
Above the words were bells...wedding bells. Naruto's hands were shaking as he opened the envelope.  
He pulled out the invitation and read it.

'You are invited to the union of Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuuga we humbly hope that you will accept our invitaiton and we are looking forward to seeing you there The wedding will be at the Hyuuga complex on saturday the 24 of December.

We will be expecting to see you there~

Naruto was about to rip up the invitaiton and throw it away when some tiny words caught his attention.

'Turn over' was what it said in the corner.

Naruto turned it over to see a handwritten note.

'How do you like the wedding invitation Naruto? They won't be out for some time but I thought you would like a preview.  
I'm sorry for what happened the last time we met but it's inevitable, Sasuke and I are going to be together I love him and he loves me and thats the it's going to be. Please don't be angry I really want to see you at my wedding.

Sincerly, Hinata Hyuuga

"Naruto... is everything alright?"

Naruto was silent for almost 3 minuets. It couldn't have taken that long to read an invitaiton.

"Naruto say somthing, what is on that invitation?"

A confused Naruto looked up at Sai.

"Its just a false invititation it means nothing."

"Really it looks pretty fancy and formal."

"Who gave this to you Sai?"

"I don't know, it was taped on my door and said, 'please give to Naruto.'"

"Did you read it?"

"No"

Naruto managed to open his door at last, and waved Sai away.

"Thanks Sai see you later."

"Goodbye Naruto."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Naruto paced to and fro around his home.

"Something is definatly up that wasn't Hinata's handwriting at all."

He examined the note on the back of the invitation again.

The "H" in Hinata and Hyuuga were just that...H's. Hinata's H's were never normal, they were always elaborate.

"Who could have written this?"

The first suspect that came to his mind was Sasuke, but the hand writing was far too neat to be his .  
It could be Hiashi...but would a clan head sink so low and mock him through a petty note?  
No...the person who did this was definatley immature, Not clan head material.

"I have to go see her, I have to see her now." Naruto decided.

But it was the middle of the day surley Sasuke would be over there.  
Naruto knew that he would beat the living daylights out of Sasuke if he ever saw him again, so the smartest thing to do was wait.

"I'll see her tonight then." He yawned and streatched his hands over his head.

He got a wiff of a horribly rancid odar and soon realized that it was comming from his pitts.

"All the better." He mumbled as he headed for the shower. 


	6. Chapter 6:The village hidden in the what

"Why do I have to go on a mission today?"

"Because you are the only ninja of your rank available at this time Naruto."

"But granny Tsunade!!"

"No buts about it!"

Tsunade crossed her arms in front of her large chest and leaned back.  
She wasn't going to be challenged by Naruto today.

"I have more important things to do than this."

"More important than protecting Konoha?!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"Well....ya see."

"No"

Tsunade raised her hand to signal for him to stop.

"If it takes you that long to answer then it must not be that important."

"But it is I promise."

Tsunade glared at him for a long time.

"What is this stupid misson anyway?"

"I need you to go to the village hidden in the komquats and take out the defenses in the south border so that the Jounins can enter inconspicuously."

Naruto stood before the hokage with a look of pure confusion on his face.

"Village hidden in the kamquats? Is there even such a thing?"

"Yes there is...I know it sounds rediculous it's a new village that came up in a kamquat forest and thats what it's called,  
we don't know who they are or why they made a village so we have to go in a find out if they are friend or foe."

"Why don't you just ask them?"

Tsunade twitched her eye in irritation

"Because we are ninjas and so are they, they will tell us what we want to hear and not what we need to know.  
Now Naruto you must leave as quickly as possible so hurry up and go."

Naruto stuffed his hand in his pocket and grabbed the note he recived from "Hinata".;  
He didn't want to leave without resolving things with her first, but that would take too long and Tsunade wouldn't have it.

He moved his finger around in his pocket thinking as fast as he could about a way that he could talk to her before he left, but found none.

"Granny Tsunade, I'm going to need someone to go with me."

"What for? The village is tiny and there are weak defenses on the south border, you can handle this yourself"

"Well you said they are a new village right, so we don't know anything about them. They are probably anticipating other ninjas comming to check them out, so there might be something stronger lurking by the south border because they put very few weak defenders there.

Tsunade bit her thumb the way she always did when she was thinking fast.

"You're right Naruto, good observation but there aren't anymore ninjas in your rank."

"What about Sasuke, Sakura or Hinata?"

Tsunade opened a file on her desk and looked through it.

"They've all asked for a break off missons for some reason."

"But Tsunade this is very important im pretty sure you could spare Hinata for me, she does have they byakugan which is crucial in an unkown place."

Naruto congratulated himself , he was giving Tsunade a hard time but with very good reason.  
The Hokage eyed him with suspicion.

"What about Sasuke? he has the sharingan which is just a good."

"No the Byakugan surpasses the sharing by a longshot, Hinata would be the best suit for me."

"Hmmmm fine Naruto you win I will tell Hinata now so be at the Hyuuga home meet her."

Tsunade summoned that gross slug thing that Naruto hated.

"Katsuyu go to the Hyuuga home and tell Hinata that she has a mission with Naruto and he will meet her there."

"Yes mi lady." Katsuyu said.

"Thank you grandma!"

Naruto walked out the office struggling to keep his composure.  
The moment he was out he jumped for joy

'Now all this can be settled', he though as he sprinted to the compund.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A mission? But I can't my father will not allow it."

"Only the Hokage can tell you not to go on missons he has no say in the matter."

"And with Naruto-kun? Hiashi will kill me."

"Hinata calm down this is not just some happy little get away you have to do your job, he was a ninja, he should understand."

"Then you tell him Katsuyu."

"I can't do that...I um...I have to get back to Lady Tsunade goodbye Hinata-sama"

"Katsuyu wait."

It was too late Katsuyu already disappeared in a cloud of smoke leaving Hinata alone in her room.  
The young heiress hung her head.

"Why do I always have to be out in situations like this?"

Hinata walked out of her bedroom and towards her fathers every step she became more cowardly.  
By the time she reached the door she was ready to sprint away.

"Come in." some one called as she turned her back to the door.

He already knew she was there so running was not an option.  
She opened the door by a crack and peeked inside. Hiashi was sitting downmwaiting for her to come inside.

"Well?" he questioned, "are you comming inside or are you just going to stand there?"

Hinata walked into the room refusing to face her father, she was still mad at him.  
"Father I-I have to go on a mission today." she whispered.

"You have to go on a what?" Hiashi wasn't being sarcstic he really hadn't heared her.

"A m-m-mission." she spoke louder.

"That can't be right I told Tsunade that you shouldn't have missions for a while it's got to be a mistake."

"No father it's not, Katsuyu came and told me only moments ago."

Hiashi furrowed his brow.

"Well if it's from the Hokage then I have to let you go."

Hinata nodded.

"But if you don't dome back I will find you Hinata."

"Honestly father do you think I'd really run away?" There was an edge in her voice like she was challenging him, daring him to say she wouldn't.

"I don't know if you will or if you won't...it's like I don't even know my own daughter anymore."

Hinata's heart twitched she didn't want to admit to herself but she loved her father very much and it hurt her to hear him say that.  
She wanted to run up and wrap her arms around him and say that she was still his Hinata. But she reminded herself that all her suffering was due to him and remained stoic. If she was going to suffer so would he. She raised one eye brow at his last comment and made for the door.

"Hinata hold on."

She stopped.

"Who is going on this mission with you?"

Hinata held her composure if she lied he would know instantly so tried to remain calm.

"I don't know Katsuyu said that my partner will meet me at the comopund gates."

"Well the only other ninjas in your rank that are here are Sasuke, Haruno and...Uzumaki." Hiashi snarled out the last name.

"Maybe it's a jounin, hasn't that ever crossed your mind."

"Please don't make me laugh Hinata, you partnered with a jounin, Thats even more inconceivable that you going on a mission with Uzumaki."

Hinata was losing her control, she had to get out of his room as soon as possible.

"Maybe the Hokage sees more in me than you do father...I have to go now."

She left the room and waked straight the gates of her was no Naruto in sight.  
Hinata made her way around the outer property and still no one. Where could he be it wasn't safe for her to linger around here when her father could come around any cornner.

"Hinata!" She turned her head to see a blonde haird blue eyed beautiful ninja running towards her, occasionally tripping on nothing.

For the first time in a long time Hinata smiled happily.  
She held her index finger to her lips and signaled for him to be quiet.

Whe he reached her she jumped in his arms.

"Naruto! I've missed you so much" she whispered.

Naruto grabbed her and held her tight "I missed you too, Hinata."

She took his face between her hands and kissed him all over only stopping herself so she could breath.

"Hinata I'm confused, if you missed me so much why did you write this letter?"

"What letter?"

Naruto pulled the invitation out of his pocket, "this letter"

Hinata let herself fall to the ground and took the invitation from Naruto's hand.

"I didn't write this" she said as she looked over the note.

The blonde looked at her in a skeptical way, he knew she didn't write but he wanted to see how far she'd go to prove that to him.

"Naruto I didn't I swear." tears were pooling in her eyes when she saw that he didn't belive her.

"If you don't understand that you're the only one I could ever love then I don't know what to do.  
I've come to my sense now... I won't marry Sasuke even if it means that I have to runaway and never come back."

Hinata crumpled the invitation and threw it away.

"If I have to runaway to be with you then I'd do it without a moments notice, I love you Naruto I always have and I always will no matter how much I try to deny it."

Naruto smiled. "I knew you didn't write that lie Hinata it couldn't have been you."

"So who wrote it, Sasuke?"

"I already decided that it couldn't be Sasuke he writes too slopply, the writing belongs to a woman."

"How do you know?"

"It's very neat too neat for a guy to write."

"No one else knows about this except for a few people and maybe Kakashi and Shikamaru...they probably figured it out."

"Who else could have done this?"

"I did." Both Naruto and Hinata looked behind them to see young Menaka standing there, she heared and saw everything. 


	7. Chapter 7: Mysteries unfold

"Menaka?" Hinata was shocked beyond words.

Menaka looked at the ground she couldn't face her mistress after hearing how Hinata spoke to Naruto.

"I'm sorry Hinata-sama I didn't mean to hurt you like this I was only trying to help."

"Help who?! Me or Sasuke?" Hinata almost shouted but the threat of Hiahsi made her whisper.

"Please Hinata don't be angry with me I was only thinking of your best interest I would never do anything to hurt you."

"This is pretty much the only that could ever hurt me." she hissed in a soft sweet and yet strangly angry voice, and pointed at the balled up paper on the ground.

"It wasn't ment for that.. it was ment to break up this."

Menaka pointed an accusing finger at Naruto.

"You can't be with him you have to marry Sasuke."

Hinata squinted her eyes at the little brunette.

"What are you talking about Menaka this whole situation is none of your buisness."

Menakas sweet and innocent demeanur melted away with how she was being scrutinized.

"It's as much my buisness as it is yours Hinata, every decision that you make affects the whole clan. You are our next clan head and I don't think you are cut out for it...at least not by yourself."

"Menaka you've made a mistake meddaling in places where you have no right to be in." Hinata said in sympathetic voice.

"Hinata you are too kind to me and I don't want you to regret the decisions you make now."  
she nodded her head slighty in Naruto's direction.

"So you think that I'm a regretful decission?" Naruto huffed out.

"I think you are the worst thing to happen to the Hyuugas since the caged bird seal."

"Menaka thats enough! How dare you disrespect him right before my eyes."

Menaka glared at Hinata and Naruto recalling the way her mistress jumped into his arms and kissed him as if nothing mattered.

"You've turned yourself into a whore that no man should desire...and yet they all do."

Naruto jumped and the girl and grabbed her by the wrist.

"Disrespect me all you want but never do it to Hinata she hasn't done a single thing to hurt you and now you are causing her all this misery."

"Naruto let her go!" Hinata shouted this time.

Menaka struggled against Naruto and got nowhere.  
While she was pulling back to get away from his grasp Naruto let her go and she fell back hard on the ground.  
Hinata rushed to her side.

"Are you alright Menaka?"

Hinata tried to help her to her feet but the girl pushed her away.

"I'll be fine Hinata-sama don't worry yourself over me."

"I'ts my job to take care of all my Hyuugas." Hinata pulled Menaka over to her and held her face up to examine any damage.

All was fine except her eyes big and green and steadily getting wet.

"Did you hurt yourself at all Menaka?"

"No!" she shouted and looked away.

Hinata pulled Menakas face back and looked again.

"Then why are you crying?"

Naruto watched with curiousness. He wasn't at all sorry about letting her fall. For all he was concerned it was her fault for being so damn mouthy.

"Because no matter what I do your not going to settle for Sasuke...your going to runaway with HIM and I'll never see you again."

Hinata was not so angry at Menaka anymore. Everything she was did was for the clan, good, bad, or somwhere inbetween. To her little Menaka had grown up too fast.  
She had too many things to worry about at such a young age.

"Menaka please don't worry about this." Hinata gave her a reassuring smile.

"I know what I'm doing and I'm perfectly capable of handling the clan on my own, I don't need some man to help me, and I'm not running away, I'm going to face this head on."

Hinata let go of Menaka and walked over to Naruto's side. She snaked her arm around his waist, he repeated her motions and grinned at her.

"We're going to face this together." She reiterated.

Menaka wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at the couple before her. She didn't hate Hinata, she loved her like a sister.  
Hinata told her not to worry any more but thats easier said than done. For now she was content with the decission that her mistress made.

"Well...I'm happy for the both of you."

"Menaka be serious no your not." Naruto laughed.

She glared at him until a smirk broke across her lips.

"As long as you arent going to run off with him like you said."

"Running isn't going to solve anything...you helped me see that, and try to stay out of trouble Menaka."

Hinata waved goodbye as Naruto pulled her to the trees. Menaka looked on at the couple until they disappeared from sight.

"Yes Lady Hinata...I'll try."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Naruto and Hinata hopped gracefully from branch to branch in silence.  
Hinata's may not have ben saying anything but her mind was screaming. She told Menaka not to worry, that everything was going to be fine.  
The truth was that she didn't even know how she was going to solve this.

"Hinata?" Naruto's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Huh what is it Naruto-kun?"

"I'm sorry for what happened today."

"Don't be, you didn't do anything wrong."

"I hurt that girl."

"She hurt herself, she'll be fine...just give her some time thats all she needs."

The air between the two was still. They drifted back into their awkward lull of quietness.  
It was a few hours before the two began to speak again. Naruto realized that Hinata was lagging behind.  
She was no longer able to keep up with him and was steadily dropping in pace.  
He knew that she wouldn't say anything even if she was tired so he had to speak up first.  
"The Kamquat village is another day away do you want to stop here, it seems like a good place?"

Hinata analyzed her and Naruto's surroudings with her Byakugan in case her companion missed something.

"All is clear here I guess we can stop."

Both hopped out the trees and onto the opening below them.

"We have to make a fire" Naruto started "It's going to get dark soon."

Hinata mearly nodded.

"Unfortunaly I'm not a fire type Hina' so your going to have to do it." He smirked at her to ease her mind.

"What makes you think I 'll be any better?" She was intrigued by his smirk and playfully smirked back.

"Well...for one thing your Hot, and for some reason you seem to set me on fire."

Hinata laughed out loud and blushed deep red. Naruto chuckled.

'at least she isn't mad anymore.' he thought.

"Fine if it will shut you up then I'll get the fire going but please stop with the comments Naruto."

"I can't help it if its the truth!"

Hinata blushed deepeer, the nervousness that she got around him was creeping up on her. He always mangaged to make her uncomfortable.  
Or maybe she was just being oversensetive,the cause didn't matter, she was always going to be this way around him no matter what.

Hinata walked out of the clearing and into the forest leaving Naruto alone.

'Menaka Hyuuga....strange girl how did she get her hands on an invitation someone must have given her one.' He let his mind wander in absent thought.

*******************

"What happened Menaka?"

"What do you mean miss?"

Menaka stood in the street with a shadowed figure.

"I mean did he get the invitation?"

"Yes mamn he did."

"And....did it deter him at all?"

"I don't think it did he is very persistant."

The shadowed figure huffed. "Thats Naruto for you, listen to me little girl if you want to help Hinata you have to get her away from Naruto."

"But she seems happy with him, she doesn't want anyone else and wont settle for anyone else."

The shadow moved into the light and bent down to face the young girl.

"If I were you and my clan was put in such a precarious position as being without a head then I would do anything to fix it."

Menaka blinked back, shocked that she was getting to finally see the woman who had been hiding from her.  
Pink hair fell over her face when she leaned over framing a pair of emerald eyes that reflected Menakas.  
She was young and beautiful and compleatly mysterious.

"Who are you anyways?"

Sakura smiled plafully at her. Hoping to get through easier.

"I'm a friend of Sasuke's, I'm a friend of Naruto's and I'm a friend of Hinata's I want to help all of them but I need your help too."

"I've seen you before I know your face." Sakura became serious.

"I would advise you not to speak of me to anyone but Sasuke, it could lead to even more misfortune."

"Are you threatening me?" Menaka asked without concern, not knowing the full srength behind one of Sakura's fists.

"You can interpret it how ever you like...Manka."

"It's Menaka!"

"I don't care...all I need to know now is where Hinata is...Tsunade says she has gone on a mission with Naruto and I want to know where they are."

"I made a promise not to tell."

"You made a silly little promise because if you don't tell me where Hinata is then I will be sure to tell Hiashi who she is with on this far away mission."

Menaka stood motionless she was in quite a dilema. If Hiashi found out that Hinata went off with Naruto because of her then Hinata may never forgive her.  
After thinking it over for some time she came to the conclusion that telling this strange woman was far better than letting Hiashi know.

"They went to The Village Hidden in the Kamquats."

"What?"

"Thats all I know Miss."

"You made a wise decission." Sakura said. She winked at the girl playfully before disappearing away.

Menaka stood there contemplating on how much damage she may have caused by getting herself so deeply involved.

'This woman didn't look like much of a threat.' she thought.

'How threatening can someone with pink hair be'

A/N

lol 


	8. Chapter 8: An Incovenient Truth

Hinata layed on the ground looking up at the canopy of branches that hid the night sky.  
Her mind was still buzzing as it had been that day, and refused to be calm.  
With the noises of owls bats and other creatures of the night, sleep for her was impossible, she would close her eyes but wouldn't drift off.  
Across from her was her beloved blonde ninja who snored peacefully.  
Her body twined with jealousy.

Here she was fighting a battle within herself and he was taunting her insomnia with his soft light breaths.  
Hinata couldn't help but smile still, he was so beautiful when he was asleep.  
She could see how his body would rise and fall each time he inhaled and exhaled.  
The rythem of his breaths were steady and and adictive, soon enough she began breathing in time with him.

After watching him for a while Hinata began to feel her eyes get heavy.  
Naruto was like her lullaby he didn't have to move,make a souund or even be consious to make her relax.  
Within moments she was asleep too the noises of nocturnal animals in the forest couldn't have woken her her up from the slumber that Naruto imposed, and she was greatful to him for that.

After what seemed like only minuets of sleep Naruto woke up to a shudder and a bang. The smell of burning wood itched at his nose and the longer he layed there the more violent the shudders became.  
He sat up and looked around to see that nothing was heared another bang, which sounded like trees crashing to the ground.  
His eyes landed on the woman laying next to him. She was so far deep into sleep she hadn't been awaked by the sounds or the shudders.

"Hianta!" He called at the ebony haired heiress.

She stirred slightly and continued to sleep.

"Hinata get up!" Naruto crawled to her side and shook her shoulder forcefully. 'How can anyone sleep through this?' he thought.

"What is it Naruto-kun?" She asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"Hinata something is happening we have to get up now!"

Another shudder followed by a louder bang confirmed what Naruto was saying. A panicked Hinata jumped to her feet.

"Follow me into the trees because we can't see anything from here."

Naruto grabbed her hand and led her to the very top of the highest tree.  
The wind was blowing hard up there and the burning smell was much more potent than before.  
From the tree they could see and orenge glow that came from far off in the distance. This could only mean that the forest was burning,with each shudder they would see a tree fall to the ground.

"Thats in the the direction of the Kumquat village." Hinata observed.

"They must still be renovating their village."

"Why weren't they doing this earlier in the day?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders and gave her his usual look of confusion.  
Hianta sighed and turned her attention back to the orange glow in the horizon.  
The two looked on at the attempts to clear the land by the Kamquat villagers which wouldn't have been so suspicious had they done it in the daytime.

Naruto slammed his head on the trunk of the tree and growled.

"This means that we have to travel at night now so we are a day behind on our mission."

"You're right." Hinata wasn't as openly upset about that as Naruto was about it "...at least we get to spend more time together."

"Thats not what I'm upset about, I have to sleep in sunlight now!"

* * *

"Sasuke please tell me that you have what you want so we can end this whole cherade."

"What are you talking about Sakura?"

"I'm talking about your obsessive actions about this wedding, its not real you know."

"Yes it is, we will reallly be married and then I'll get what I want out of them...did you find out where Naruto and Hinata were?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "They went to the village hidden in the Kumquats."

"Huh?"

"Yeah thats what I said, but the little girl didn't seem to be lying."

"You are going to have to follow them tomorrow and see what they are up to Naruto can't ruin this for us!"

Sasuke didn't look up from what he was doing to face her.

"Fine."

Sakura was in her bed glaring angrily at her boyfriend who was engaged to another woman.  
She was waiting for him to join her, but all his intenitons were on the stupid note pad with plans for his sham of a wedding.  
Sakura sat up and let the blanket fall from her revealing her breasts that were so convinently hidden behing her pink locks.  
She'd grown her hair out back to the length that it was when she and Sasuke were in school together.  
She didn't like it long since she'd grown accoustamed to it being short and easier to manage.  
The only reason she didn't cut it was because Sasuke wanted it long and like everything else she did in the world she grew it out to please him.

"Oh Sasuke", She beckoned with her voice, trying with all her might to draw him in.

"What?" was his only response, which was cold and empty.

He had his back turned to her sitting on the edge of the bed, reading what Hiashi had written down.  
The young Uchiha was so engaged in the note pad he barley paid any attention to Sakura and frankly didn't care.

"Sasuke please come to bed?" Sakura crawled erotically towards her lover and wrapped her arms around his neck pressing her body close to his exposed back.

Sasuke pushed her off gently and shot her a disapproving look.  
Sakura only took it as ammo and fired back hard. She crawled back over to him and slid her figer tips into the sides of his boxer shorts hoping to turn him on like that.

"Sakura stop it!" He shouted. "Have a little dignity in yourself and stop being so damned easy?."

Saskue got, walked to his living room and threw himself of the couch.

"Why can't you be more like Hinata?" He whispered making sure she heared glimpse of it and not the whole thing, just to tick her off even more.

"Excuse me?!" Sakura screamed.

She found her shirt and threw it over her head, then walked to the door, "This will be the last time I ever sleep with or sleep WITH you...You bastard!."

With that she slamed his room door shut with all her might and was filled with angry glee when she heared it fall off the hinges.

Sasuke just growled, how is she it that she always emasculated him with her strength...comparing her to Hinata was never a smart thing to do especialliy in a heated argument.  
Sexually deprived and sleeping alone wasn't how Sakura pictured this situation to be.

'This Hyuuga fortune better be worth all this shit he's putting me through,' she thought.

Sasuke twisted and turned in his couch.

"This isn't fair, why should I have to give up my own bed in my own apparnment?"

Frustrated Sasuke tiptoed into the bedroom making sure to avoid the door lying on the flloor.  
Now he was upset at himself for pissing Sakura off because it would take a miracle for her to let him in the bed now.  
He got to the edge of the bed and was just about to slip beneath the sheets.

"Get out!"

Sasuke nearly had a heart attack, he was convinced that he had made it in. He had to think on his toes now because he didn't want to sleep in the living room and if he didn't listen to her Sakura might kill him.

"Sakura...I'm-I'm sorry...for what I said."

Sasuke was't big on apologizing but this was a desperate time which called for desperate measures.

"Huh?"

"I said I was sorry, I was rude and I purposly made you angry...and I'm sorry."

"Sasuke I-" she was cut off by his velvet voice that she knew she couldn't deny.

"Can I please go to bed now?"

"...Sure." Sakura scooted over to let him in because ofcourse she was only thinking of pleasing him.

"I'm still angry at you." She yawned and kissed him on the cheek.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata were not completly awake on their way to the kumquat village's south border.  
They made sure to be extra careful the deeper they went into the enemy's territory.  
The air that was hot from the flames were becoming cooler as daylight snuck up on them.  
There were less trees falling now and there weren't as many crashes and shudders.

Hinata yawned and lost her footing on a branch, before she knew it she was falling to the ground and she was far too tired to scream or regain herself on a lower limb.

"Naruto!" She choked out.

The moment he glanced at her falling figure he was already on alert. He boucned from limb to limb to beat her to the ground.  
When he was finally down there he caught her within seconds.

"Are you alright Hinata?!"

"I'll be f-f-fine." She cuddled her head against his chest and closed her heavy lids.

"Hinata? Hinata wake up."

Naruto shook the sleeping woman in his arms.

"Please can we sleep here?" she asked meekly, still half awake.

"I don't think we can." Naruto looked around and saw that they were close to a road that led right into the unkown village.

"Please Naruto," She yawned again, "I'm so tired, I can't go on."

Hinata looked like a child in Naruto's arms and he couldn't deny her.

"Okay Hina, we'll sleep here." He lied and began walking deeper into the saftey of the forest with his woman cradled in him arms.

* * *

Neji heared a knock at his room door and pulled a Kunai at the sound.

"Neji nii-san?" A girls voice called.

Neji lowered his kunai and was a little embarassed at his action, he enjoys his missions too much.

"Who is it?" he called back.

"It's Menaka, Neji can I come in?"

"Menaka?...yes come in."

Menaka opened the door and walked in with her eyes to the ground.  
To her Neji was far above the branch family though he wasn't as high as the main branch. But he still needed to be respected as such.

"What can I do for you Menaka?"

Menaka gulped she wasn't sure how Neji was going to react to what she was going to tell him, he had the track record of being very overprotective towards all the Hyuuga girls and most deffinatly Hinata.

"Um...h-how was the mission nii-san?"

"It was a success, obviously."

Menaka nodded and stole a look at Neji.  
He was serious as always but she could tell that he was happy to be home and that he enjoyed his misson.... far too much, maybe because Ten-Ten was his partner, but who knows.

"Is that all you came in her to say?" he asked

"Well...no...I-I think I've done something wrong."

"What did you?" Neji was suddenly alert, He gestured to Menaka to come closer and keep her voice low.

"I think I've put Hinata in danger."

Neji raised an eye brow "what do you mean?"

"There was a woman who said she was a friend of Naruto's Hinata's and Sasuke's, she said she wanted to know where Hinata was and I wouldn't tell.  
Then she said that she would tell Hiashi that Naruto and Hinata were on a misson together if I didn't tell her where they were so I told her and then she disappeared."

Neji listened attenivly to everything that Menaka was saying.

"Naruto and Hinata have gone on a mission? Together!? and Hiashi doesn't know!?"

Menaka nodded her grabbed her shoulders and looked at her, his eyes penetrating hers in a dead lock stare.

"Did this woman tell you her name?"

Menaka was becomming afraid, Neji's reaction was making her feel the full value of what she was telling him.

"No, she just said she wanted to help our clan."

"Was she a Hyuuga? Have you seen her before?"

"I recognized her when she showed me her face but she isn't a Hyuuga and I coldn't tell where I saw her before, but someone who was covered in dark clothes and a mask came to me one night and told me to write a letter on the back of one of the wedding invitations.  
She told me that Naruto was trying to steal Hinata away so that he could take over the clan and not Sasuke. I believed her becuase Sasuke seemed like such a nice guy and I've never met this Naruto fellow and Hinata seemed so Naive to me, but I guess I was the one being naive."

Neji ignored the fact that Menaka would let someone talk her into doing something so stupid and got staight to this mysterious woman.

"What did she look like?"

"She had green eyes just like me and she was pretty with long flowing pink hair."

"Pink hair?...SAKURA!"

Neji couldn't believe it Sakura was manipulating Menaka, and he was convinced Sasuke knew about it.  
Everything about this wedding had been suspicious to him from the very start and it was all comming together.

"Do you know her Neji nii-san?"

"Yes...I know her all too well."


	9. Chapter 9: Discovered

"I didn't hear anything about that but they said they would give us a huge mall in downtown."

"A mall?! Really? Lord Kamakage must be generous."

"Oh he is."

Naruto and Hinata hid behind a tree easily avoiding the eyes of the two gaurds that stood at the south entrance to the Kamquat village.  
They blindly chit chatted to one another while the two lovers/ ninja's eaves dropped.  
It was clear that these men weren't suited to be guarding anything, just as Naruto had thought.

"Hinata we're going to have to take these guys down."

"That doesn't seem too hard."

"Alright you do taijtsu on him and I'll go on ahead, catch up with me when your done okay?"

"Okay." Hinata nodded her head in understandment. "Just tell me when."

Naruto watached as the men turned their heads and continued speaking obliviously.  
He counted down to the moment that would catch them by surprise the most.

"Now." He signaled

Naruto jumped out and ran past the two gaurds who were didn't have anymore than a second to act though.  
Hinata immediatly popped out and struck their chakra points with her fingers making the men instantly fall to the ground.

'Too easy.' She thought hiding their limp bodies very well behind Kamquat trees.

Byakugan still activated, and her gaurd up high she followed behind Naruto. The entrance that was being gaurded looked more like a tunnel.  
It was long and dark with no edges, just a giant semi circle that bade them welcome.

She approaced a fork in the tunnel where she saw Naruto waiting. "Which way should we go?" He scratched his blonde hair.

"I have no idea." Hinata looked at both paths to see which one was best suited to lead them into the village.

After about five minuets of contemplation Hinata shook her head, "The only way to know is for one of us to go in one direction and the other to go in the other direction."  
Naruto nodded silently comming to the same conclusion that she did, there was no other way to determine it.

"H-Hinata....have you noticed that it's getting wetter in here?" Naruto splashed his feet in the water that was gushing out of one of the entraces.

"Ugh, and it stinks too!" Hinata held her nose to show her distaste.

"I think Tsunade Baa-chan sent us in a sewer not an entrance."

Clicking noises made the two turn their attention to the pathway that was not spewing out human waste.  
There was a huge cement door that was slowly closing from above.

"It's shutting, Naruto quick we have to get under it!"

Naruto wrinkled his nose and looked down at the chunky brown water that was now at his knees.

"Do we have to?" He asked hoping she would say no.

"YES!" Hinata grabbed his hand and pulled him under the door along with her, taking care to keep both their heads above the water.

It was dark on the other side of the door, pitch black but dry.

"Don't let go of my hand", Naruto said to Hinata. "You may be able to see but I can't."

Hinata palmed her way down the wall, even with her Byakugan she could only see Naruto's chakra and thats it.  
There was no sign of human presence or any presence at all, so the tunnel appeared pitch blak to her too.

The two kept walking down the seemingly endless tunnel for what felt like ages. This was no ordinary sewer, where were the rates and the roaches.  
There was no place for anyone to come in or out to check on the plumbing, was there even plumbing in there. Naruto snapped his head around to the way they came from.

"Do you hear that?" He whispered. Hinata turned her head too, the distant splashing was faint but she heared it.

"I see something!"

"What is it?!"

"There are two people standing at the entrance to the sewer."

They are just standing ther?"

"NO! One of them went in one way and the other is opening the door and comming this way!"

Naruto gasped, there was nowhere to hide in the tunnel and their mission was too important to be blown by some ordinanry ninja.

"We're going to have to take care of this guy thats comming."

"Huh!?" Hinat nearly shouted, "You have no idea what that ninja is capable of Naruto, this is his village he obviously knows how to get around in here and we are completly blind."  
There was so much concern in her voice it almost made him sad, Almost.

"I'll be fine Hinata we don't know if he can see us, but I know you can see him, so theres an advantage right there, no one can get around your eyes."

Hinata giggled hesitantly, he wasn't trying to flatter her but any compiment from Naruto would make act that way.  
She found her composure and reset her eyes on the intruder, "He is comming close just two more turns and he will be about 20 yards in fron of us."

Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated on the ninja's walking pattern, He made one turn judging by the swish in the water.  
After he made the second turn Naruto placed his hand on a Kunai, he was redy to strike at any moment. The Ninja was walking at a steady pace before he stopped about 10 yards in front of the leaf shinobi.

"Alright Yukaraka! Open it." He shouted to the man who was in the other tunnel, The man hit a switch and one of the tunnel doors closed while the one that they were infront of opened.

Nartuo and Hinata quietly ran to wall shooting most of their chakra to their feet and crouched on the celing, the sounds of their movment overpowered by the sound of the door opening.  
After the Kamquat Ninja walked through Hinata saw him climb a ladder leading up to the real entrace to the village.

She let herself fall from the celing and Naruto mimiked her.

"What was that about?!" He asked jokingly.

"We have to get in before we're locked out again."

Hinata skillfully slid under the door, and Naruto followed.

"Light! I see light." Naruto bounded up the ladder in the most dramatic fashion forcing Hinata to break a smile.

"We still have to be careful, we have no idea whats up there."

"Ofcourse Hinata chan, I know better than to be reckless!"

Naruto popped his head out the little hole and breathed in the sunlight, which he had to squint away from since his eyes weren't used to so much light after bing stuck in darkness for so long.

"Do you really know better than to be reckless?" Someone asked to him as he crawled out the tunnel and let Hinata emerge.

"Oh no!" She gasped.

"Hinata what is it, whats wrong?" Naruto rubbed his eyes angrily and opened them to a foggy image of what seemed like more than 100 Kamquat ninja sourrounding the 2 leaf ninjas.

"Hinata....you were right...oh no!

A/N

Sooo It's been a while since I wrote and im sry. But aside from that I actually read the previous chapters to this story(I never read over a story) and I was very surprised to see that I CANNOT WRITE!!"

I made so many grammatical errors and I leave out words or add words or write two words that mean the exact same thing. It hurt so bad to read this mess of a story I cringed everytime I read it, and so I am very sorry for that I had no idea it was that bad, and I applaud you for sticking through and actually reading the story you guys are awesome especially since you can get past the first chapter and all the way to the 8th or 9 Idk which one this is (how sad) and still want more, it brought a tear to my eye *just kidding*

But thanks and I WUVV you....REVIEW IT!


	10. Chapter 10: The Truth?

"I'm begining to hate Hinata more and more!"  
Sakura jumped from branch to branch in the direction of the Kamquat village. She didn't even know why she had such a grudge with Hinata. She didn't feel like this in the begining , but the less time she spent with Sasuke, the angrier she got with the young Hyuuga. It wasn't even her fault and Sakura told herself that continually, but that never stopped her ill feeling towards Hinata.

Sakura felt her head become light and yawned, She was tired. She went almost 2 days without sleep, and another because she hadn't fallen asleep in Sasuke's bed until he came in and slept next to her.

She recalled their meeting after that night, and tears stung her eyes, she never felt so hurt in such a long time.

**********flashback***********

Sakura pulled the covers off her body and streatch, she looked around for her Sasuke but he was nowhere to be found.  
She dragged on her clothes and walked into his kitchen to see him sitting at the table, deep in thought.

"Goodmoring Sasuke." She chimmed and made to kiss his cheek, he pulled away and gave her a strange she couldn't judge because she'd never seen it before.

"Sasuke whats wrong?" She pulled pulled up a chair next to him, she was beyond concerned for her lover.

Sasuke sighed and turned his head away, "Look Sakura I don't think it's such a good Idea that we see each other like this anymore."

"W-what!?" She mumbled. Had she heared right? Did Sasuke just tell her he didn't want to see her anymore?  
She was supposed to be angry, she was suposed to want to rip his head off her shoulders for putting her through all of this and then to throw her away, but she wasn't, she was confused. What made him change his mind so readily, he wasn't like this last night. Sure they had a fight, they always fought but it never ended like this.

"Sasuke, I-I don't understand." She reached out to touch his arm but he snatched it away and stood up.

"Whats not to understand?! You can't live here anymore!"

Now she was mad, "What do you mean! What did I do to you that was so wrong, I did everything for you.  
I even risked my freedom so you could have what you put me through the pain of watching you get engaged to another woman and now your going to tell me to get out?!?"

Sakura watched his face with death in her eyes, she blinked back tears, he couldn't see her cry she didn't. She shed enough tears for him. But she couldn't stop the tears from reeling down her face. She closed her eyes tight and turned away.

"If you want me to go Sasuke-kun...I'll go." Her voice was soft and quivered but it was still angry.

"Sakura please, Im not saying we have to end what we have, I'm saying it's too dangerous for us to live together."

Sakura turned back to face him, she immedatly recognized the look on his face, the expression she couldn't identify before was pain, he looked like that for most of their childhood and when he came back he erased that look off his face. Sakura never thought of it again ,she ereased it too, she didn't want to see Sasuke look like that either.

"I just wish you would understand, Im doing it for us. What would happen if Hiashi came here or Tsunade or Naruto or...Neji."

Sasuke spit out the last name with so much venom it made Sakura flinch back.  
She thought about what he said and he ws making a very good point. She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.

"I still need your help, I need you to go to the Kamquat village and get there as fast as you possibly can, don't stop don't rest don't do anything just go and keep going. Keep an eye on them, make sure she doesn't do anything stupid, you know how dangerous that village is so don't let them get hurt!"

"Whats the big hurry all of a sudden?" She asked sarcastically wiping the tears off her cheeks and out her eyes.

"Why are you still here? You were supposed to be gone yesterday." He shot back and left the house.

He poked his head back in and said one morething to her. "Don't go out the front door go out the back!"

********End flashback*********

She was now a liability, his dirty little secret, she always was but he never allowed her to feel like that. What made him care so little now.  
Sakura fought of her tiredness and kept gliding from one branch to another, she didn't want to be a disappointment and make him even more upset with her.

She approached a clearing and saw a shadow standing there. It was more like an apparition than a person because of how open they left themselves.  
Sakura felt a chill run down her back, but calmly shook it off, there was no such things as ghosts. She had encountered much worse in her life as a ninja.

The shadow waved her in when she drew even closer, it was dark so she still couldn't see who it was. She wasn't going to stop for this stranger, person or spirt, she was moving on.

"Hello.....SAKURA." The voice made her stop dead in her tracks, she nearly fell to the ground by how surprised she was.  
Sakura stayed a good distance from the person before slowly moving in.

"You've got a lot of guts comming here Menaka, You should have just stayed out of it!"

Sakura was now close enough to see the young girls face. She dropped all her gaurd, there was nothing to fear from her.

"You've got a lot of guts trying to decieve the Hyuuga's, you and Sasuke!" Menaka mocked her tone arrogantly.

Sakura narrowed her eyes and looked at her with a vicious glare.  
This child figured out their secret, and at the worst possible time for the pink haired Kunoichi.

"You are sharper than a box of knives,you foolish little girl." Sakura hissed through her teeth.

Menaka was brought aback, but held her ground tight and didn't flich.

"You and Sasuke are using Hinata to get into our clan and trying to get Naruto out of the way, well it won't work they aren't going to give up on each other so easily."

Sakura chuckled at the audacity of this little before her. She really didn't know who she was dealing with or the amount of damage she could be placing on herself.

"You think you have everything figured out don't you? Well you don't! You don't know half the story, and no one will be able to find out because you won't be able to tell anyone."

She tightened her fist and held it up before her. "It's a shame Menaka I really did like you, you were so naive and stupid it was hard not to feel sorry for you."

Menaka swallowed hard when she saw Sakura's fist glow green, the shadow cast on her face made her look even more menacing.  
She mustered up as much courage as she could, she didn't need to be afraid of Sakura, she was just another girl...another girl Ninja.  
Sakura pulled her fist back to gather up momentum, she was trying to intimidate Menaka, she wasn't liking how the little girl showed no frear of her whatsoever.  
She wasn't planning on hurting Menaka, Sakura just wanted to reinstate her superiority by inciting fear in her.

"So what are you going to do Sakura-chan? After everything that you and I have been through you're going to kill me?"

Sakura stopped for a moment, and cocked her head to one side, . "Kill you? Whoever said that, im not going to kill you I already said I like you too much."

"What?" Menaka furrowed her brow, she was almost sure that Sakura would try to get rid of her, she was a servant girl who found out the details to her plan, She would be easy to finish off and no one would miss her.

Sakura moved even closer to Menaka, she held on to her hand and whispered in her ear. For someone who used their brain a whole lot Psycological damage was the way to go, and Sakura knew the exact subject that could bring Menaka to her knees, or possibly to her and Sasuke's side.

"How would you like to have Hinata, Hiashi and the whole main family wait on you for a change? Your whole life you lived to serve them, and they don't give a rats ass about you. I can change that, Sasuke and I could change that."

Menaka tried to back up, she didn't want to hear things like that because deep in her heart she so desperatly wanted it to come true, Sakura took hold of the other hand and pulled her back in against her will.

"They would have to adress you as their superioir, they would have to reprot to you whenever they left the perimeters, and that horrid caged bird seal on your head would disappear!"

Menaka stopped struggling, she couldn't believe what she was hearing, Sakura was offering her a chance to be rid of her prison. How could she pass something like that up? She blinked the thought away.

"T-theres no way! You're a liar the caged bird seal can never be removed, ever!" She went back to wringing her hands out of Sakura's grasp.

"Says who,the main family, why would they tell you about it. The whole point of the seal is to keep you and your kind from ever succeeding beyond thoes high Hyuuga gates."

"Please Sakura-chan, don't tell me these things, why do you have to go there with me?" Menaka had tears in her eyes as she listened to Sakura point out every miserable part of her tormented life.

"Its not the first time you are hearing this is it, Im certain not."

"NO!" Menaka fell to her knees, still trapped in Sakura's embrace with tears pooling down her face, "Neji please! make her stop."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Neji?" Before she had time to register, she felt a sting in her arm and instantly dropped Menaka's hands.

"Thats enough Sakura, Shut up now!"

Neji suspended form above in the tree's, he'd heared everything and he was really pissed off, any normal human could see that.

"I-Im so sorry Neji." Menaka sobbed, "B-but what she was saying was...I wanted to believe her so bad and-"

"It's alright Menaka, it was easy for her to decive you like that, besides I got enough information from her."

Sakura cradled her arm that was now of no use to her. She glared at Neji, "You let this little girl go through all of that for Information?"

Neji snarled at her, "You mentally tortured her for no reason!"

"I only did it to bring you out of your hole! I knew someone was here with her, I just couldn't fighure out who it was. She was too brave to even think of taking me on alone that was the dead giveaway."

"Sakura I always expected better from you, You let Sasuke brainwash you into doing somthing so rediculous, It is completly beyond me."

"He didn't brainwash me into doing anything, Im helping him on my own free will, I'm doing it for him because..." She trailed off, her eyes beging to water again.

Neji stood before her waiting for her to continue, Menaka was now behind him hesitantly peeking around his shoulders at Sakura.

"Because?" Neji probed, "Because you love him right?" he asked sracstically,or as sarcastic as Neji could possibly ask.

Sakura nodded her head slowly, she was pathetic, just the mention of Sasuke's name was going to make her feel useless until he acknowleged her again.

"Is that why he said you weren't imortant to him this morning?"

Sakura snapped her head up with confusion written all over her face, "What are you talking about?"

"I went there this morning to confront him about this fony wedding and your dealings with Menaka,  
and he said that I was out of my mind and had no idea what I was talking about, that you and him weren't together and since Hinata came into his life you weren't important to him anymore!"

"This morning, it was you?" Everything was begining to make sense now, Sasuke didn't really mean what he said at all, it was Neji who drove him to do it.  
Neji and his nosiness, were all Hyuuga's Natural born medlers?

Sakura inhaled through her nose, she sat quiet for a long time internally contemplating something the other two didn't know about, finally she spoke.

"Neji, I'm sorry about all of this, Menaka I'm sorry too, I never wanted anyone to get hurt, I didn't expect this much trouble would come out of this."  
"Do you really expect me to forgive everything you've done because you apologized?" Neji was insulted, what kind of man did she take him for?

"Will you just hear me out?!? There is is a good reason for why Sasuke and I are doing what we are doing, just listen to me...please."

* * *

"Why are they all weak?" Naruto laughed, looking around at all the limp bodies that were lying around him and Hinata. "I didn't even break a sweat."

Hinata observed the same things too, they were all weak, if the two of them even tried just a little, all the men would be dead. Luckily they only suffered from some minor broken bones and maybe a few concussions. The only thing truly damaged was their pride.  
Naruto and Hinata walked through,the real gates of the kamquat village with ease. Contrary to what they expected there was no one to be seen.  
The village was vacant.

"I thought you saw people and animals and stuff."

"I did I saw human chakra, and some that wasn't human, I assumed it was a horse or an ox or some kind of labor animal."

"Well they couldn't have cleared the village that fast could they?"

"I don't know."

They searched the village discreatly, not really knowing what they were hiding from or what they were looking for.  
It was extremly empty. It gave them both chills. This place was like a ghost town...How would they fight gohsts? They were only ninja's for goodness sake.

"You don't have to hide! I know you are here."

Naruto choked on his breath. That slithering snake like voice that haunted his dreams for so many years invaded his ears again.  
Hinata stopped in her tracks she knew this voice well too.

"Don't you remeber me? Come now it hasn't been THAT long has it?"

"Orochimaru?!" The two of them gasped simultaiously.

Oh no orochimaru? what is he doing in my village?? He needs to GTFO...no?... oh well

R&R ^^


	11. Chapter 11: I'm Sorry :I

Orochinaru appeared out of nowhere infront of the two teens, he eyed them both with caution, smiling widely when he laid his yellow orbs on Hinata.

"A Hyuuga?" He beamed reaching out to touch her face. Hinata stared wide eyed at him, she'd never seen him up close like this, he was scarier and uglier than she'd imagined.

"No!" She shrieked, jabbing him with her index finger, sending his chakra points into an uncontrolable spasm. Naruto crashed his fist into orochimau's jaw, sending him soaring a good many feet away from them.

He recovered instantly, and shot a menacing glare at the two, mainly at Naruto.

"Why is it that everytime, I get what I want you show up to try and take it away from me, go away the Hyuuga is mine!"

Naruto returned the glare, "What do you mean,'something you want'? What do yo want with Hinata!" He was begining to lose his temper, how dare Orochimaru speak about her as if she was an object.

"What do you think Naruto, You're a smart boy, you figure it out!" He teased, wiping a stray drop of blood from his lip.

Hinata's heart started to pound. Orochimaru wanted her? For what? The last time he wanted something, he went through nearly anything to get his hands on it. She wasn't as strong as Sasuke was, she wouldn't be able to handle it. She would be caught and killed and used in his weird medical sience projects. Her mind was reeling out of control, she had to stop it before she lost her sanity.  
She took in a deep breath, reminding herself that she wasn't the same girl as 5 years ago, she was stronger now, as strong as anyone else in the leaf village and just as capable to do damage.

"Hinata." Naruto's soft voice snapped her out of her thoughts, "I won't let him get you, I'll protect you." He smiled at her, it was a smile that made her cast all doubts out the window. Naruto fought for Sasuke, and he would fight 100x harder for her, she knew it.

Hinata nodded with new found assurance, she and Naruto both stood to fight their enemy.

"How sweet." The snake master mocked, "the both of you seem so amoruous are you infatuated in some way?" He recieved no answer, Naruto and Hinata stood their ground ready for any attack he might throw at them.

"It seems we aren't alone." Orocimaru looked around in the trees, "One weak Hyuuga and a fox demon, is one thing but two? I think I'll pass." He poofed away, only to appear between Naruto and Hinata.

"I'll get my hands on you somehow, My little Hyuuga." He said but before he placed his cold thin lips on the apex of he neck, biting down hard. She screamed in pain grabbing her bleeding neck, falling towards the ground.

"Oh no!" Naruto's stomach dropped, he knew all too well what Orochimaru had done. "Get off of her you sick pervert!" Orochimaru dissappeared for good, and Naruto had no time to react. He caught Hinata before she hit the ground, Her eyes were glazed over and she had a pained expression on her face.

"Hinata! Hinata speak to me, say something!" He shook her lifless body violently, trying to get a reaction out of her, any reaction. She just laid still, her chest barley rising with each small breath she took. "Hinata no, don't let the seal take over you." He yelled noticing that the black circular seal was growing branches.

"Naruto!" Neji was beside him, "What happened to her?" He asked in a panic, seeing his younger cousin lying in Naruto's arms.

"O-O...Orochimaru...bit her." Naruto dropped his head to Hinatas neck, covering the curse mark.

"What!" Neji shouted, enraged, "How could you let this happen!" He grabbed Naruto, making him drop Hinata on the ground, Screaming directly in his face.

"It happened so fast, I had no time to react." Naruto, didn't struggle to get away from Neji, he blamed himself too, he should have known what Orochimaru was capable of. He let his gaurd down.

"Why, Naruto, Why did you bring her here?" Neji asked releasing Naruto and calming down. He was searching for some logic, he was unable to comprehend Hinata as, now, one of Orochimaru's subordinates.

"T-Tsunade assingned us this mission, we were only supposed to scout the village, to see what they were all about." Naruto sat beside Hinata, who had yet to make any kind of movment.

Neji bent down and picked her up, "We have to get her back to the village as soon as possible, Tsunade wasn't there to save Sasuke, but maybe she can help Hinata."

Naruto didn't move, he sat where Hinata's bodywas lying, "Naruto, get up! We can't stay here, he might come back with reinforcments."

"Let him come back!" Naruto growled, "I want him to find me here."

Neji siged, "If you won't come back for me, or for yourself, come back for Hinata...When she wakes up, she is going to want to see you."

Naruto rose from his postion, still infuriated, but willing to push it aside for Hinata's sake, "alright, lets go."

Naruto shuddered, for a person who spent most of his time in a hospital, he really didn't like them. The chairs in the waiting room were hard, the receptionists attitude was hard, the floor was harder then a floor should be and it was freezing cold.  
The only thing that kept him rooted was the thought that he might be able to see Hinata today. She'd been asleep for 3 days now and it was the longest 3 days in his whole life. Tsunade worked effortlessly to bring her out of her seal induced coma, but had no progress, she was in Hinata's room more than she was in the Hokage's tower.  
By the time Tsunade came out into the lobby it was night time, The Hyuuga's that had been waiting left bitterly, deeming it another uneventful day. They eyed Naruto as they passed him, wondering why he was waiting so long.  
He got the worst look from Hiashi, who casually bent down and said, "This is what you wanted all along, how can we marry her off now?"

It took all Naruto had in him not to knock the living daylights out of the clan head, it also took the fact that Hiashi could beat him to a bloody pulp if he so chose to.

Neji was the last person to say something, "I have to talk to you, it's a matter of grave importance." He sounded urgent at the moment, but a conversation with Neji was the last thing Naruto wanted. Hinata was top proiority.

Naruto snapped out

"Is she going to be alright?" Naruto looked up at Tsunade, his bright blue eyes shimmering with water.

Tsunade nodded her head,"I did the best I could do for her, Hinata will be alright so long as she doesn't let hatred or revenge take her over, she will be cursed for the rest of her life though."

"Thats okay then, " Naruto felt a glimmer of hope with Tsunade's words, "Hinata has never hated anyone, she is the kindest person I know!"

Tsunade turned the cornners of her lips up in a tiny smile, "She is isn't she?"

"Can I see her, is she awake?"

"Yes, she wants to see yo too, funny that Sasuke hasn't been by, and she is his fiance." She noted with a coy yet suspicious glare.

Naruto widened his eyes, "How did you know about that?" The wedding was supposed to be secret, or at least kept underwraps until it was final.

"Hiashi, told me everything, but that isn't important, have you spoken with Sasuke?"

Naruto scoffed, "Che, he hasn't said anything to me either, its like the only person he talks to now is Sakura."

Tsunade squinted her eyes, she wasn't the only one who noticed that Sasuke was withdrawn after this mission. She walked out the door, patting Naruto on the shoulder, she would have to look into this first thing in the morning.

* * *

"YOU TOLD NEJI?"

Sakura cringed, sobbing as Sasuke silently hissed at her.

"Y-You don't understand, I had to, he would have figured it out anyways." She defended, knowing that no matter what she did that day, Sasuke was going to be pissed off.

"He wouldn't have figured anything out if you just kept your fucking mouth shut!"

The raven haired ninja, stormed back and forth infront of Sakura, he wasn't sure if he should kick her ass out or yell at her some more. This had to be, by far, the dumbest thing she has ever done. He stopped in front of her running his fingers through his shiny black locks and siged.

"I have to go see him, I have to tell Orochimaru something."

"What?" Sakura gasped, "why?"

Sasuke pushed past Sakura and headed for the door, "The plan is ruined Sakura, We have to figure out another way to do this."

"Sasuke don't do it, Neji is willing to help, we can't throw him under the bus."  
She ran infront of him, standing between him and the front door.  
Sasuke didn't say a word, he eyed Sakura carefully, not knowing what to say. He was almost ready to tie her up and lock her away, just so she wouldn't do anymore damage.

Sakura sniffled a bit, scared of ominous glare she was getting from the only man she ever truly loved. She leaned forward and touched his face, noticing the stress of the past few months were affecting his apperance. Suprisingly he just stood there and allowed her to run her fingers across his cheek. He had heavy bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, and his pale white skin began to take an unhealthy yellow pigment.

"Let me help you", she begged, "I don't just want to follow you anymore, Sasuke, I love you, and I know you love me, despite the things you do or say. I don't want to see you beat yourself up about this. We can save Naruto and Hinata together, you can't do it alone.

;D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Naruto knocked on Hinata's door, there was no answer. He knocked harder, Tsunade said she was awake why wasn't she answering.

"C-Come in." A weak voice called from the other side. Naruto pushed it open to see Hinata siting upright on the hospital hair was a mess, she was pale as white paper, and her face held a look of worry, but she was beautiful none the less.

"Come in Naruto-kun." She said sheepishly, trying to smile in hopes it would change the expression on his face. "Why do you look so upset?"

"...It was my fault." He began,blaming himself for what happened to her.

"No, it wasn't, if you weren't there, I wouldn't be here right now, everyone knows that." Hinata played with the thin white sheets that coverd her up. Her marble face was gaining color at a very fast rate.  
She was chewing at her bottom lip, and avoiding Naruto's eyes.

"Hinata?" He asked, assuming somthing was wrong, she may have acted like this on a regular basis, but now she seemed different, "Whats the matter."

"N-Nothing is the matter, I'm f-fine." She inwardly cursed herself for the stutter, the habit she managed to decrease over time came back in full force.

She sighed deeply, patting the side of the bed she wasn't lying on. "Naruto, come sit my be."

He crossed the space between them slowly, sitting next to her. "Hinata are you sure there isn't something wrong?"

Hinata glazed her hand over his, "I'm not so sure." She said looking directly at him. "I've been th-thinking, We're a hopless cause, you and I, i-if the marriage doesn't come between us, the curse mark will."

"Thats not true, I won't let anything come between us, I've delt with this cursed mark issue before."

"How did that go for you?" She asked with the tiniest hint of sarcasm.

"Everything was resolved wasn't it?" Naruto defended crossing his arms arrogantly.

Hinata giggled, he was so cute when he pouted like that. she couldn't force herself to break up with him like she planned, instead a whole new desire took over her. If being with him was pointless she would make some value in it.

"N-Naruto-kun, I l-love you." She shut her eyelids tight letting the words fall out her mouth, she couldn't hold it back any longer, ofcourse he knew she really liked him, but she had to make sure he knew she loved.

"...Hinata? You-You what?" He sat with a fumbled look on his face, had she really said that, she was just about to break whatever they had off, and then she says she loves him. Naruto was quiet for a while.

Hinata didn't say anything either, she was sure she ruined the relation ship they had by being too hasty, it had only been...a year, her expectations for the two of them may have been too high. Naruto eventually chuckled soft and low, coaxing Hinata to open her eyes and look up at him with confusion. He laced his fingers through hers, with a wide grin on his face.

"I love you too Hinata-chan."

There was silence, after a few seconds the only thing that made noise was the IV attatched to Hintas arm, ever few hours or so it would release an appointed amount of medicine into her system.

Hinata breathed in, she waited her whole life for him to say something like that to her and now he finally did. Her heart began to beat fast and an unnatural sense of euphoria filled her up inside, partially due to the drugs that worked their way into her blood, but mostly due to the fact that the she just heared 5 words she wanted to hear for so long. Naruto, unsure of what to do next leaned forward and pecked her on the lips. It was awkward but gentle. Naruto smiled,as quick as it was he relished every second of lips were so delicatly soft. It was like Kissing a flower. Hinata widened her already large eyes, his kiss was quick it caught her off guard,she smiled back, Glowing a bright scarlet but she was still unsatisfied. There was a fire burning in her heart the moment he said something to her, She thought leaving him was the answer, but that didn't work, confessing her true feelings maybe douced it a little, but the second his lips met her's that fire intensifed 100x.  
She didn't know what was taking her over, but she liked it, and she wanted more. Eagerly she leaned foreward kissing him, it was a long and powerful kiss, Naruto happily returned it, holding her around the waist,  
The both of them drew back panting, "Hinata, what was that?" The glee in Naruto's voice was hard to miss.

"I don't know." She said, laying her head in his shoulder, "I don't know what came over me." She nudged her head up and began nibbling at his neck, then slowly began to snake her hand down his chest.

"What are you doing, d-didn't you want to wait for your...husband?" He grabbed her wrist, holding it at his belly button. He remebered how she said she wasn't allowed to have sex until she was married. But the man she was marrying was Sasuke, not him.

"I never wanted to wait on Sasuke, I wanted to wait on you Naruto-kun." Her eyes pleaded with him to let her go, Naruto stood up.

"I won't let you do this, this isn't what you want. You're losing it." He only stood up to get away from her, he didn't want to encourage any of her behavior because his hands might move on their own. Hinata swallowed hard, her bottom lip that was turning red from her chewing began to tremble.

"I'm sorry Naruto. I understand if you don't want to do this with me." Her voice shook as if she were on the verge of tears.

Naruto's heart immediatly sank, he sat down again pulling her close to him. "Thats not it at all, I love you , I told you that. But this isn't like you Hinata, I don't want you to do somthing you will regret later on."

"How could I ever regret anything I do with you? I've thought about it, and this is what I want, my husband will be Sasuke, but he will never be my love, that place is taken by you."

Naruto opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out, The angry passion in Hinatas tone had rendered him speechless

Unwilling to wait for his response Hinata once again connected her lips with his, and once again he happily obliged.

* * *

Okay guys, please excuse the grammar problems, the misspelling and maybe some writing style errors and I think some characters are a little OOC, Oh and sorry for the chapter just ending abruptly.I'll fix this chapter I promise! I have neglected this story for so long, and I even forgot where I was going with it. I really don't like re-reading my stories(I find so many things wrong!), but im gonna have to re read this whole thing to see what direction I was headed. hahaaha, This chapter is so old, from months ago that I never bothered to finish, but I started on it again and I'll post it anyways because I feel so guilty :( Please tell me everything that is wrong...I can take it . (I might cry)


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